The National Party chose the local small business owner to be their candidate for Cootamundra from a field of five which included former Hilltops Council administrator Wendy Tuckerman.

Ms Cooke said she is keen to take on the task of keeping the seat for the Nationals after Katrina Hodgkinson’s retirement. 

The life-long local owns award winning business ‘Native Botanical’ and she has shop fronts in Cootamundra, Young and Temora.

Ms Cooke said that she was looking forward to hitting the campaign trail.

“I’m excited to be given the opportunity to represent the towns that I grew up in, and the people that I love,” she said.

The National Party candidate said she has a good grasp of what locals want from their State representative by listening closely to customers of her florist business.

“The issues that people are raising with me are healthcare, education and aged care to name a few; I am a local, I have businesses in the electorate, so I feel I have a good handle on what people want from the Government,” she said.

“On a broader level issues such as mental health and living costs are things that people are concerned about.

“This is not a one issue campaign.”

Ms Cooke said only the Nationals could offer long term solutions to those problems in the electorate.

“The Nationals are the only party that can truly represent the people of rural NSW like those in the Cootamundra electorate,’ she said.

“If elected I can advocate for the needs of local people as only a member of a sitting Government can.”

Deputy Premier John Barilaro said the Nationals had learnt lessons from the Orange by-election loss.

“We must turn up and listen and engage with voters and then we have to respond,” he said. “We are at the table of Government; the Shooters will talk about what they want to do, we will talk about what we will do.”